MANAGEMENT ROTTBOELLIA COCHINCHINENSIS INVASIVE WEED AND OTHER WEEDS IN CORN (ZEA MAYS) BY DIFFERENT TIME OF HERBICIDES APPLICATION IN CORN GROWING DISTRICTS OF KARNATAKA, INDIA

Abstract

The species Rottboellia cochinchinensis L. (Itchgrass) has become a most important invasive weed in corn cultivating areas of India and world requiring urgent management strategies to enhance its control. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the different herbicide, combinations and sequence of herbicides. Pendimethalin, Pyroxsulfone, flumioxazine and diclosulum. The experiment was conducted during 2024–25 and 2025–26 along with large plot adaptive trials simultaneously in farmers field. With the objective to evaluate the efficacy of sequential application of pendimethalin as pre-plant incorporation, pre-emergent and post emergent. Their isolated application and tank mix application of pendimethalin, pyroxsulfone, diclosulum and tembotrione as per the treatments. The application of pendimethalin at various dosage in different applications as PPI + PE controlled 100 percent of the R. cochinchinensis species and prevented the germination of new flushes of R. cochinchinensis till 90 days of sowing.Regarding tank mix application, Flumioxazine + Diclosulum (PE)-TM @ 125+22 g a.i./ha, Flumioxazin + Pyroxasulfone (PE)-TM@ 125+127 g a.i./ha was effective in controlling all the weed till 30 to 45 days after application. In the sequential application of herbicide Pyroxasulfone PE fb Tembotrione PoE @ 127 fb120 g a.i/ha was effective in controlling all the weeds up to 25-30 days, while Post emergent application of tembotrione was ineffective in controlling the regrowth or new emergence of R. cochinchinensis. Thus, application of pendimethalin at various dose at different time of application was the best option to control R. cochinchinensis. Consisting of an important management tool to control the Itchgrass.